See beyond the disability

• About the booklet
• Queensland and disability
• Ethnicity, culture and disability
• Employment and disability
• Information and advice
  • Intellectual disability
  • Hearing impairments
  • Spinal injuries
  • Fluctuating conditions
  • Vision impairments
  • Complex communication needs
  • Psychiatric disability
  • Cerebral palsy
  • Acquired brain injury
  • Autism spectrum disorders
• Contacts

Psychiatric disability

Anne is a former police officer who is now a member of the Australian triathlon team. She speaks to many organisations, including the police force, about mental illness.

Anne is a former police officer who is now a member of the Australian triathlon team. She speaks to many organisations, including the police force, about mental illness.

Anne's tips on including someone with a psychiatric disability

"Breaking the silence about mental health is extremely important. Too many people shy away from it as a topic because they think it is taboo. Talking openly about mental illness will help people feel less isolated from their communities. Do not write people off if they have a mental illness. With the right support, people can learn to manage their symptoms in a positive and effective way. Try to see mental illness as any other illness that can come and go and sometimes requires treatment, and especially understanding. I am a normal person, I just happen to get sick sometimes."

Managing a psychiatric disability - how can you help

• For some people, mental illness can come and go. Flexible attitudes are essential.
• Do not make assumptions about what people with a mental illness can and cannot do. When treated appropriately and early, many people recover fully from mental illness. For people with a permanent psychiatric disability, ongoing treatment and support can assist them to participate more fully in everyday life.
• Try to be aware of the issues associated with mental illness. The understanding of friends, family, colleagues and the community have a significant impact on the quality of life of people with a mental illness.
• Talk openly about mental illness in a positive way. A surprising number of people have dealt with mental illness and will feel more comfortable if it is discussed freely without negative stereotypes.

"Mental illness is no barrier to achieving goals and dreams."

Key facts about psychiatric disability

• One in five Australians will experience a mental illness at some stage in their lives. When a person's mental illness has progressed to the point that it significantly impacts on their day-to-day activities, it is considered a psychiatric disability.
• Mental illnesses can be separated into two categories: psychotic illnesses (including schizophrenia and some types of depression) and non-psychotic (including phobias, some forms of depression, anxiety, and obsessive compulsive disorder).
• Mental illness is not usually passed on within families, though with some disorders like schizophrenia, a pre-disposition to the illness may be inherited.